


Led Only By The Stars

by Owlwithafringe



Series: Merlin Reverse Big Bang [1]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Alternative Universe - The 100, Angst, Assassination Attempt(s), Blood and Gore, Comfort, Difficult Decisions, F/M, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Grounder Culture, Grounder Merlin, Humor, Hunting, Kidnapping, M/M, Major Character Injury, Merlin Reverse Big Bang 2015, Minor Injuries, Stargazing, Survival, Technological Difficulties, The 100 Arthur, Torture, Training, Younger Sister Morgana
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-08-30
Updated: 2015-08-30
Packaged: 2018-04-18 00:30:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 4
Words: 22,034
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4685405
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Owlwithafringe/pseuds/Owlwithafringe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>They told them that after the bombs went off all of the live on the Earth was wiped out. They told them that they weren’t forsaken, that they could start clean once on the ground. They told them that monsters weren’t real.</p><p>Looking at the man who kidnapped him, because he was his 'get out of jail free' card, and seeing him consumed by a fever that was brought on by the wounds him and his had inflicted on the man, Arthur realized they were wrong in every aspect.</p><p>Monsters were real. But not everything was as black and white as it seemed.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my entry for the **[Reverse Merlin Big Bang 2015](http://merlinreversebb.livejournal.com/)**. The Art Master Post can be found **[here](http://archiveofourown.org/works/4691222)**
> 
> I would like to thank my wonderful artist **[FreyaFenris](http://freyafenris.tumblr.com/)** who created some amazing art and who gave me this whole world for me to write. I've great enjoyed collaborating with her and everyone should go check out her Tumblr and her art. I've been so honored to work with her and I really hope she enjoys the fic.
> 
> I would also like to thank good friend **[Beespiesandplaid](http://boysandravens.tumblr.com/)** who beta-ed some of my chapters for me and picked up some stupid mistakes on my half, and has just made the whole fic generally just better to read.
> 
> You can find me on Tumblr on **[Owlwithafringe](http://owlwithafringe.tumblr.com/)** so feel free to pop by and send me a message.
> 
> A quick note before you start: It would benefit if you knew the background of the tv show of 'The 100' but it isn't necessary. If you want more info, i'd advice going to google. Morgana is a younger sibling to both Arthur and Morgause. The 100 are a group of young people as it is, (from like the ages of 12 to 18 but I'm allowing the oldest character to be no more than 21) but with Morgana already being younger, she's probably only around 16/17 here, which is why at times she may seem sightly out of character. 
> 
> Anyway, onward with the fic - I hope you all enjoy and make sure to leave me a comment and tell me what you thought!

_I was born in Space. I’ve never felt the sun on my face or breathed real air or floated in the water. None of us have. For three generations, The Ark has kept what’s left of the human race alive, but now our home is dying, and we are the last hope of mankind. One hundred prisoners sent on a desperate mission to the Ground. Each of us are here because we broke the Law. On the Ground, there is no Law. All we have to do is survive. But we will be tested: by the Earth, by the secrets it hides, and most of all, by each other._

 

*****

 

Sometimes whilst hunting in the woods, Arthur wondered what the planet had been like before. Before the war, before the destruction, before the annihilation of the human race. What had the planet looked like? What had its people been like? 

Despite the untamed forests and the wild rivers and the how alive everything was, all he could see was a graveyard. He mourned what had been lost. All that history and culture, and the future of the human race, a burden which had been transferred to his generation growing up in the Ark. 

Secretly he wondered if they could even call themselves human anymore. They’d spent so long hanging the stars in the sky that they had all forgotten what it was to be human. Perhaps that was not a bad thing though, because not only was the Earth a graveyard now, but it was reminder and a warning. A reminder that the human race could be monstrous; of the type of devastation the human race could wreak, not only on their home but on each other. 

The warning was more chilling to Arthur though. A reminder was the past but a warning was a future they couldn’t see. A future full of the potential for his people to be doomed to repeat history. To one day destroy the planet in a way they could never recover from. And if that ever happened, then it was his fault. Because he was the one that would lead his people back to the ground.

Morgana criticised his cynical outlook but in truth he was envious of her. He wished he could see the utter wonderment she had with either flower or butterfly or cloud. She saw a chance to do it all again, but this time right. Arthur knew she believed with all her heart that they could actually do it. She’d always had more faith in his abilities than he’d ever had in himself.

Days like today though, they were supposed to be hunting and gathering food. Their own supply from The Ark had been eaten quickly during those first few days of chaos whilst leadership and rules were being debated and fought for after they had landed on the Ground.

None of them actually knew how to hunt properly though. They soon learned how to trap and stalk the animals they found living on the Ground when they realised it was now their main source of food. That day had been scarce for prey. Most of their traps had been untouched and they couldn’t even find any tracks to follow to a larger beast. Before they called it a day and headed back to camp, they decided to check their traps again. In the last one, they’d managed to catch two rabbits much to their relief. 

The trek back to the camp was blessedly short. Any longer and they would have been stuck outside the gates after dark. Arthur wasn’t sure what was lurking out in the woods at night but he had no intention of finding out any time soon. 

They reached the gates of their settlement, and Arthur smiled with pride at it. Wooden spiked posts created an impenetrable boundary; their gates were made tall and imposing by the sheets of scrap metal from their ship. Arthur could see patrols manning the perimeter, and for the first time since they’d arrived on Earth, they all actually felt safe in their little patch of land.

It was a huge accomplishment compared to what they started with. Disorder and chaos had been rife throughout the camp. Teenage criminals being dropped on a planet without adult supervision was not a particularly good idea. After then losing communication with The Ark after a rough landing a power struggle broke out among them to establish their new leader. 

Arthur himself was the son of the president of The Ark. He had been sent down to lead the one hundred, to establish a settlement to see if the Earth was survivable. He was supposed to walk in his Father’s footsteps – that was his mission.

Not everyone there saw it that way though. He was the only person from the hundred sent down to the Ground that wasn’t there because he was a felon. Most were bitter about the way they were treated by Arthur’s father’s government, the fact that they had been sent to the Ground to die.

An unsteady alliance was formed because it was quickly realised that they would all die regardless of radiation if they didn’t. Morgause represented the working people, but it was realised that Arthur was in fact a strong leader who had skills and knowledge. Between the two, a civilised camp with rules and jobs developed. Not everyone was happy of course but for the sake of fragile peace, they worked together.

The gates swung open and Arthur and Morgana passed through them, hearing the creak of metal as they closed again behind them. Despite the sun setting, the camp was as busy as ever: people creating weapons and stronger fences, others organising food and water. Everyone had to pull their weight in order to survive.

The pair walked through the working area and past the tented part of the camp where everyone slept and rested. At the back of the camp was where the Drop Ship rested. It was the strongest and most fortified part of the site and was where all the decisions and meetings took place. It was like the castle, and the tents were the surrounding villages, all protected by its fortified walls. 

Arthur and Morgana silently entered the ship, Arthur holding up the curtain for her to pass under first. Like predicted Morgause was sat in the main room, surrounded by a few of her supporters. Her blonde hair was greasy and her clothes were dirty and ripped from weeks of neglect, but she seemed to be having a grand time of it sitting on her high horse as everyone else worked hard to keep the camp running.

It should be made clear that Arthur resented Morgause completely and utterly. She was a vile, power hungry wench but she was also Morgana’s half sister so for the sake of Morgana, he tried to be civilised. He also quickly realised that whilst he was a co-leader of the camp, his place was precarious at best and he was aware of the fact that he could be ousted from his position at any time if he said the wrong thing, and if he lost the small power he had, then the people of The Ark would never be allowed to arrive and everyone up there would die. Sometimes Arthur really hated his life.

Morgause looked up from her conversation as she heard them enter, to greet Morgana with a large grin. She probably meant for it to be fond, but it just looked manic to Arthur. She of course, completely ignored Arthur as was now standard policy between the two.

“Morgana, my darling.” She opened her arms wide, for Morgana to hug her. “I was beginning to get worried.”

Yes, obviously she was very worried, Arthur thought childishly to himself. She was so worried in fact that she was sat on her arse chatting whilst they hunted for food so they didn’t all starve. Morgana of course was blind to her sister’s faults and greeted her back enthusiastically. Arthur tried hard not to begrudge her that since Morgause had obviously done something right in looking after Morgana as they grew up together in their little cabin, but he found it extremely hard to think anything other than it.

“Yes, we’re just checking in to say we’ve returned safely from our hunting trip. Arthur managed to catch a few rabbits so we’re going to go and get them stored and added to the rations.” Morgana smiled, gesturing towards Arthur. Bless her, she was trying to get him involved with the conversation but Morgause didn’t even blink in his direction.

“Excellent! Most of the other groups didn’t catch shit, though we’re still waiting for one to return.” She tossed her hair over shoulder casually. “Anyway, doesn’t matter. Better get that meat sorted so we can use the fur and bone for used for-“

“What do you mean a group hasn’t returned?” Arthur interrupted, speaking up. It was hardly something to be smoothed over. Morgause turned to him, raising a cool eyebrow. He felt Morgana stiffen beside him and could practically hear her begging in her head for him to not start an argument.

“I mean one of the hunting parties hasn’t returned yet. I’m sorry Pendragon, are you deaf as well as stupid?”

Arthur scowled. Why did Morgana think he was the one that was going to cause trouble? He wasn’t the one throwing around insults. “And don’t you think that’s a problem? There are two of our people in the forest and the sun is setting.”

Morgause leaned back in her seat, looking completely uninterested in the matter and for the hundredth time that day, he wondered why people thought she was a good leader. “We wanted to wait to see if they’d come back before night. Since they haven’t, we are going to arrange a search party for first thing in the morning.”

Arthur could feel his nostrils flare with anger, and his fists curled in hands. His voice was carefully devoid of all emotion as he spoke. “Tomorrow will be too late.”

“Nobody will go at night, it’s a suicide mission. There’s no point in getting any more people killed than necessary. There just isn’t anything we can do tonight.”

The speech had been clearly rehearsed for that moment, the way the sentences were composed were all jointy and wrong. She wasn’t even trying to hide the fact that she didn’t care. Arthur shrugged. “Fine, I’ll go.”

Morgana whipped around, her eyes wide with fear at the thought of it. “Arthur, you can’t! You’ll get yourself killed.”

“I have to. I won’t abandon them to the night. A real leader would save their people, or die trying.” Arthur took a feeling of satisfaction as he saw Morgause bristle out of the corner of his eye over the comment.

“Always the hero, huh?” Morgana replied hushed, almost speaking to herself. She looked back up to Arthur and nodded as if she’d made her decision. “Fine, then I’m coming with you.”

Quite possibly the only thing that Arthur and Morgause could ever agree on: Morgana’s safety. Except they both went about it in different ways. 

Morgause was blinded by her protective older sibling urges. She still saw her sibling as being a young girl. Maybe it was easier for Arthur because he hadn’t grown up with her like that; he wasn’t the one that helped raise her. He saw her for what she was: a young woman. A young woman who was stubborn and would go whether or not she had anyone’s permission. It would be an argument that Arthur would not win. It wasn’t the best situation but it was better than the alternative of her walking around on her own in the dark.

Morgause had begun to protest but Arthur nodded curtly at Morgana. “Fine.”

She smiled at him and nodded, ignoring her older sister’s protests. “Let me go and see if I can round up any volunteers to go with. I’ll meet you at the gates in five?”

Arthur nodded in agreement again, and Morgana hurried out of the drop ship. Arthur turned and met Morgause’s glare head on. He felt particularly fortunate that looks could not kill. She looked like she was about to tear him to shreds using her tongue, especially now that Morgana was not around to witness it, but Arthur didn’t have time to indulge her in childish and petty arguments. 

He held out a hand to halt her speech. “Not now. I’m going to make sure Gwen is on standby in case of any injuries. We’ll return as soon as we can.” He paused, before speaking a little more quietly. “I’ll bring her home safe.”

Morgause’s face twisted into a sneer. “You better Pendragon. Her life isn’t the only one on the line here.”

Arthur pushed past her silently and climbed the ladder onto the level above up. As he climbed through the hatch, he could see two backs facing towards him hunched over not having heard him come through.

“Any luck?” He asked. The two backs jumped and turned to face him, revealing the camp’s medic and close friend of Arthur’s, Gwen, and Elyan, their resident tech genius.

“Arthur! Don’t sneak up on us like that! Elyan could have been doing something very intricate and vital with the wires and you might have ruined it.” 

The earlier amusement of making his friends jump faded. “Of course, my apologies.”

Gwen’s face smoothed out to a soft smile. “It’s alright. I’m sorry for shouting.”

In truth, Arthur didn’t really mind. Once there was a time when she could barely string a sentence together in front of him, so really it was a testament to how far their friendship had gone that she felt comfortable enough to raise her voice at him. And it wasn’t like she exactly wrong either.

“Leave off the man Gwen, he was only asking.” Elyan spoke up; teasing her in the manner an older brother would tease a younger sibling. Looking at the two, you could almost believe they were siblings apart from the fact Arthur knew it was not possible. He turned to face Arthur, his smile becoming more serious. “No luck as such yet, but I’m still working on it. I swear to you, we’ll regain contact with The Ark again soon. I’m not giving up, not whilst there is still air in my lungs.”

Elyan had been working almost solidly since they’d landed to establish communications with The Ark again, on Arthur’s orders. The man was a genius and Arthur had no doubt that he could do it given time. It made him wonder what he had done to be put in with the rest of the teenage delinquents, and how The Ark thought they could sacrifice this talent over something that was no doubt extremely petty.

Arthur smiled at him gratefully. “I know you will, and for that you have my thanks. That wasn’t the reason I came up here though.” He turned to address Gwen again. “One of the hunting parties hasn’t returned. Myself and possibly a few others are going to try and see if we can find them but we need you on standby just in case.”

“Of course. Whatever you need.” Gwen replied. Arthur was glad that she offered her help unconditionally. It was a rare quality around the camp.

“Do you want me to come?” Elyan offered beginning to lay down the tools in his hands.

“No, it’s quite alright. We can’t risk anything happening to you.” Arthur assured him. He didn’t look particularly happy about it, but he accepted Arthur’s judgement to be right. “Anyway, I’ll see you both later. I’ve got to go and meet Morgana now. You know what she’s like when she’s kept waiting.”

They both chuckled half heartedly at Arthur’s pathetic attempt at humour, worry lining their eyes. 

“Please be safe Arthur.” Gwen spoke softly, no room for discussion in her tone.

He waved them both off, “Yeah, yeah. See you both in the morning.”

Arthur thanked the stars that Morgause was no longer downstairs where Arthur had left her, and hoped that was the first of good spells of luck. He marched through the camp, dodging through the people to get to the gate as quickly as possible.

When he got there, Morgana was already waiting standing next to other people armed with lit torches and spears. Arthur’s hand tightened on his own weapon that hung from his belt: a sword like contraption built from scrap metal with a wooden handle made from one of the local trees. 

As he approached closer to the small group, he recognised the men to be Leon and Percival. He had known Leon since he was a child but only knew Percival as an acquaintance from hunting missions. It was also quite hard to miss him, since he was so tall.

“Arthur,” Leon greeted with a grin, “We were beginning to think you weren’t coming.” 

“And miss out on the fun?” 

Leon chuckled. “That’s what I thought. Are we ready to go then?”

Arthur turned to Morgana. She nodded. “Only these two brave chaps would volunteer. This is our lot.”

“In that case, I must give you both my thanks. Lesser men would have refused.”

“And already did apparently. It’s no problem at all. Someone has to make sure you come home in one piece. Besides, I’m dying to stretch my legs. They’ve kept me cooped up on fence building duty all day.”

Before Arthur could reply, the gates swung open and the conversation was forgotten as the group walked out of the safety of their compound and into the darkness of the forest with only the burning light of the torches to guide their way.

“I spoke to Morgause before you arrived Arthur and she said the missing group was supposed be hunting down by the river.” Morgana said, directing the party on the path that they needed to be.

Arthur groaned internally. That was the furthest boundary point they had established. Beyond that point was a mystery to them, but it meant one hell of a long walk. 

The forest seemed to loom over them giving Arthur a feeling of insignificance. These trees had been there long before Arthur and his people had set foot on the Ground and he knew they’d be there long after they were gone.

They finally reached the area where the girls were supposed to be hunting in. It was quietly decided that they shouldn’t split up but rather stay together and search. Arthur pointed out that if one of the missing hunters were injured then they probably would have headed to the bridge as it would be an obvious place to look when a search party came for them, so they decided to head towards the bridge.

A quick scan of the area revealed no missing hunters and Arthur was beginning to doubt that his logic had been correct when a thud originating from below the bridge caught his attention. 

Arthur moved slowly towards the sound, his weapon pointed out in front of him ready to attack at a moment’s notice. In the other hand he had a torch wielded like a shield, keeping his side covered but lighting up what was in front of him too. 

He could hear the quiet footsteps of his friends behind him ready to defend themselves and him if necessary. He stepped forward and listened intently. He could hear that rustling noise again coming from directly in front of him. He raised his sword to fall upon whatever unlucky thing was waiting to attack them and swung the torch around... to reveal the determined face of Isolde, wielding a branch as a weapon. 

Behind her on the ground was Elena, looking in a lot worse shape than her hunting partner. Arthur immediately lowered his sword and rushed forward, silently thanking every deity that he could think of that they’d found them alive.

Isolde lowered her branch at the same time as Arthur, recognising him to be friend and not foe. “Arthur? Holy crap, you scared the shit out of us!”

Morgana rushed forward from behind Arthur towards Elena, obviously seeing her in distress on the ground too. Percival followed quickly behind her to help pick her up. “What happened?”

Elena chuckled weakly from where she lay. Morgana had gripped her hand in her own as Percival prodded her foot assessing the damage. “I thought I saw something down by the river. I ended up slipping and fell down the bank. Clumsy me as usual.”

Isolde glanced at Elena who was in the process of being lifted into Percival’s arms to be carried back to camp. It was lucky that Percival was there or else it would have been a lot harder to get Elena home. “I wouldn’t leave her. Gods know what could have happened if I did, so I told her to sit tight and wait for someone to come looking. Honestly though, I was sort of expecting just to be left here. I can’t believe Morgause sent people out to look for us.”

Arthur grunted in acknowledgement, but his attention had been diverted elsewhere. That feeling of relief at finding the girls was gradually being replaced by this itching feeling on the back of his neck that they were being watched. Arthur couldn’t help but feel paranoid but he was slowly learning that his paranoia might just save his life one day. 

“Arthur?” Morgana asked. He waved her off silently, pressing his fingers against his lips to silence her and bringing his torch up higher to try and illuminate the area better.

“Is there something out there?” Leon asked in hushed tones stepping closer to Arthur so he could hear him.

Arthur’s eyes darted around trying to slice the darkness to no avail. “I’m not sure.” He glanced at Leon whose face was half lit by the burning torch. He was tense, prepared for an attack. Arthur was glad he was with him. “I’m going to go and have a quick look. It’s probably nothing, but be prepared just in case.”

“Do you want me to come with you?”

Arthur shook his head. “No, it’s fine. Just get everyone up and away from the bridge.”

“I don’t need Leon to babysit me Arthur.” Morgana sounded irritated but the underlying waver spoke the truth louder than her words did. Trying to hide her fear through attitude. It was reassuring to know despite the fact she didn’t grow up with Arthur that she still had some Pendragon traits. 

“I’ll just be a minute.” With that, Arthur climbed up the embankment, a torch in one hand and his sword in the other, listening as his people shuffled in behind him. 

He stepped out onto the bridge, his flame lighting the path in front of him. He put one foot in front of the other, head cocked with concentration. His mind battled a war between his brain telling him that he was over-reacting and trusting his gut.

Arthur stopped near the end of the bridge, where the forest began again. Despite now being closer, Arthur couldn’t distinguish anything other than the blurry black shapes of the trees. Nothing apparent was there but he knew something could easily be hiding in the shadows, especially since his skin still itched like something was there, watching. 

He sighed and lowered the torch. He couldn’t fight off an invisible monster, despite his determination and best intentions. The safest course of action would probably to get everybody back to the camp as quickly as possible, away from the infringing darkness where they were sitting ducks just waiting for some creature to come and eat them or something equally horrific. 

Arthur turned around to head back to the group who were waiting by the tree line when something whizzed by Arthur’s head, barely missing his ear and in bedding itself on the bridge floor behind them. 

“What the..?”

Another arrow whizzed by and lodged itself on the side of the bridge. It was enough to break Arthur from being frozen in place and to prompt him start running, the flight or fight reaction kicking in.

As adrenaline began to work overtime, Arthur raced towards the group calling out for them to run. Arrows began to rain from sky with no apparent source other than from the trees beyond the bridge. Arthur didn’t pause to think who was shooting them, only that he needed to get his friends to safety.

They all ran into the woods together, trying to keep close but far enough apart that they weren’t just a large target waiting to be hit. Percival somehow was managed to run with Elena in his arms and Arthur vowed that when they got to safety he was going to get Percival a drink in thanks. 

It was disconcerting the way they were being chased. It was like being hunted but Arthur couldn’t see or hear what their predator was. The only thing that proved that they were there was arrows trying to hit them. Each arrow was more accurate than the last and Arthur believed the only thing that had saved them from being hit so far was the way they were dodging and weaving through the trees as they ran.

As they sped through the forest Arthur stumbled on a root, nearly losing his footing which would have resulted in him falling down. He lurched forward though before he regained his balance but as he looked up he saw an arrow fly into the tree in front of him.

His breath caught in his lungs and his heart pounded as he realised that had he not stumbled the arrow would have flown directly into the back of his head and he’d just be gone. On the ground face first, dead. It suddenly put a lot of things in perspective. 

Time seemed to malfunction as they ran. Arthur didn’t know how long they had run for: it could have been seconds, it could have been minutes. All he knew was that whatever was after them was still coming and that they had to get back to the camp. 

Overhead the sky was still dark but the first tendrils of pinks and yellows that hinted to the mornings beginning began to blossom from the gloom. And then he could see it. The silver of the metal gates, just glinting teasingly them from the sunrise, beckoning them to safety. Another thirty seconds and they’d be safe, another thirty seconds and he could rest.

But of course, when had anything ever been that easy?

He heard Leon cry out before he saw him fall. An arrow had finally found its target and had lodged itself in Leon’s leg but Arthur was damned if he was going to let them, whoever or whatever they were, take one of his own, not when they were so close to home.

He stopped and turned back to help Leon. Arthur saw the others falter in their run, unsure if they should help or just keep going. He gestured at them to keep going and they did, giving on last sprint to the finish line, shouting on the gates to be opened.

Arthur hauled Leon to his feet and used himself as a device to be leant on. With Leon’s arm secure around Arthur’s shoulders, he began to drag them towards the open gates to Leon’s groans of pain at the movement. 

They limped to the gate evading the rest of the arrows much to Arthur’s relief and as they crossed the thresh line Arthur felt a weight lift itself from his shoulders. Someone reached forward and took Leon from Arthur and he could dimly hear Gwen shouting orders at some poor sod in the background.

Arthur turned back around, facing towards the woods as the metal gates were beginning to be pushed closed on his arrival. His watched where they had just come from, not entirely sure what he was looking for. 

It was at the last moment though, just as the gates clicked into place that he saw it. Saw what had been trying to kill them.

He stared blankly at the metal gates trying to compute what he’d just seen. It couldn’t be possible but yet, he had just seen it with his own eyes. It made sense in a sort of twisted way, after all what else could have made those arrows? He hadn’t really had the chance to think about it before then.

Leon and Elena had both been taken to the drop ship to be treated by Gwen but the others lingered by the gate with Arthur telling their story to the crowd that had gathered, the shock of near death having worn off surprisingly fast in exchange for the high of having survived. It hadn’t occurred to any of them to wonder what had been trying to kill them yet. 

Morgana turned to Arthur to include him in a joke that she was telling about the ordeal when she noticed how pale her brother was, frozen in place.

“Arthur? Are you alright? What’s wrong?” She asked.

Arthur turned to his sister, eyes startlingly grim as he met her gaze. “A person. Morgana, I saw a person.”


	2. Chapter 2

The camp had been on edge in the days following the attack. Everybody was holding their breath, white knuckles clenched around weapons as they waited for the other shoe to drop. Elyan tried to contact the Ark with increasing desperation as Morgause stomped around the camp barking orders and shrieking at anyone who would listen. She was like a frightened animal backed into a little corner. She wasn’t in control of everything and evidently didn’t like it. 

Patrols had been doubled and a strict curfew had been employed. Nobody was allowed in or out of the gates apart from hunting groups and even then they only sent out one group when they were in need of replenishing supplies. 

They all would have been going stir crazy from being locked up together except everybody was putting all hands to the pump to build bigger and better weapons and to fortify the fence in case of attack. 

And that was the question on the tip of everybody’s tongues. Would whoever these people were attack them? No-one ever dared to say it because that would be admitting the reality of the situation- of how alone they were without the Ark. 

They were untrained, almost entirely defenceless and whoever these people were, they people had survived a nuclear apocalypse. So they were all pretty screwed. They were stuck in a siege situation, too scared to leave but waiting to be attacked. 

It reminded Arthur of those stories he had read as a child, of the siege against Troy. If a powerful city like that could fall then surely their makeshift camp would be decimated without a second thought. He couldn’t allow himself to think like that but he couldn't stop remembering those luminous golden eyes glowing at him from the shadows before they attacked. 

Arthur himself had taken part in a couple of patrols and watches but it felt like a waste of time and energy. If they were going to attack then they’d do it in their own time. In the meantime he could be doing productive things like be Elyan’s lackey since Arthur didn’t know the first thing about engineering or assisting Gwen with Leon’s first aid-that meant usually passing them both things when they asked and making everyone dinner. 

That’s where Arthur was when the hunting party was attacked outside the compound. Apparently a small group of them, Grounders was the name everybody seemed to adopting for their unfriendly neighbours, had tried to ambush them,though much to his peoples luck, not only did they manage to escape lives in tact and undamaged but apparently injuring and capturing one of the enemy. 

Or at least that’s what Arthur heard as they ran through the gates dragging a muddy and unconscious, though no doubt still ferocious looking, man in the dirt behind them. 

As the gates swung shut behind them with a finality in their creak, a crowd began to form around the hunting party and their reluctant guest. Arthur watched on from the drop ship as the ‘heroic’ hunters began to tell and no doubt over embellish their tale of life and death as Morgause shoved her way through the scene to assess the situation, Morgana trailing not far behind her. 

Arthur couldn’t hear what she said next but he could guess that she was ordering that the Grounder be moved to the drop ship away from prying eyes and possibly a mauling from the terrified mass. He stepped back into the drop ship silently and turned to Leon’s questioning eyes. 

“What’s going on out there?” 

“Somehow they managed to catch a live one. Better get your shit under control too Leon, since they’re bringing him in here. Not that you could do him much damage but just a heads up.” Arthur replied crossing the room to go up the ladder. 

In the corner of his eye he could see Leon wince and palm gently at his bandaged abdomen as he tried to pull himself into a sitting position on his make-shift bed and compose his facial expression into something threatening. 

Elyan was hunched over with Gwen by his side as usual as Arthur climbed through onto the next level of the ship. This time they weren’t so absorbed in their work that they didn’t hear him come in and both turned around simultaneously. It was actually a little frightening how in synch they were with each other and if Arthur hadn’t been convinced they were long lost twins then he would have tried to set them up ages ago. 

“Hey Arthur,” Gwen greeted, a kind smile at the ready, “Is everything ok? Is Leon alright?” 

“Leon’s fine. Well, he’s feeling a bit undignified but he’s a big boy, I’m sure he’ll get over it. No, some imbecile managed to catch a Grounder. They’ll be bringing him in here in a moment. I didn’t get a close look but it looked like he’d been hit quite hard over the head, so they’ll probably be needing your assistance shortly.” 

Gwen shot up from her crouch on the ground, her whole body language suddenly changing from relaxed to military doctor in an instant. She hurried around the room gathering her supplies just as another head popped through the latch carrying the top half of the Grounders torso with him. Together two men (or rather boys) hauled the Grounder into the room, none too gently and deposited him in the middle of the floor as Morgause and Morgana followed them into the room. 

Gwen rushed over to the Grounder, kneeling by his side to inspect his injuries but all it took was a simple gesture from Morgause and the two boys shoved Gwen out of the way to drag the prisoner off the floor into a standing position so they could attach ropes to the Grounder’s wrists tying him up up in a standing position, a mockery of a crucifix. 

The Grounder was still unconscious when they had secured him in place; his whole body was leaning forward, his head slumped against his bare chest. Arthur quietly skirted around the back of the room, avoiding the group of Morgause’s minions to help Gwen off the floor before leaning back against the ship wall. 

For a moment there was a silence in the ship broken only by the sound of everybody breathing, some breaths more calm and under control than others. It was if everybody was waiting for the Grounder to jump up and ambush them by saying, “Surprise, I’m not knocked out.” 

When he didn’t, Morgana spoke. “What do we do with him?” 

It was a good question. What was the whole point of the capturing him? Arthur acknowledged the importance of gathering intelligence but they didn’t even know if the Grounder could speak English. It seemed a bit of a fruitless exercise to be perfectly honest. Arthur turned his gaze to where Morgause was standing, her eyes hard as she glared at their new guest, curious as to what her response would be. 

“We’ll interrogate it when it wakes up.” 

It. She wasn’t even acknowledging the Grounder as a person. Arthur realised he didn’t know much about the Grounders or how nuclear radiation would have changed them to make them differ from the people of the Ark but the Grounder looked human enough to Arthur despite the wild appearance and they had all already proved they had some sort intelligence from their weapons and hunting methods. 

“Shouldn’t Gwen have a look at him?” Morgana asked, looking decidedly pale as she watched blood trickle down the side of the Grounder’s temple. 

“No,” Morgause barked, “It’s a prisoner not a guest. Don’t want to give it the wrong idea by letting it wake up nice and comfortable.” 

Arthur snorted and folded his arms across his chest as Morgause looked sharply at him. Did she not realise how ridiculous she was acting? “Look at him Morgause, he hardly looks comfortable! I doubt he’ll think he woke up in a bloody holiday spa.” 

Morgause sneered at him before turning back to everybody else. “Everybody get out. The Grounder is no use to us until it wakes up so go and do something useful.” She glanced at the two boys who had carried the Grounder upstairs. “One of you stay up here though and guard him.” 

“I’ll stay.” Arthur wasn’t sure what possessed him to say it, but for some reason he did anyway. It might have been because he was dying for a proper confrontation with Morgause. It might have been because he didn’t trust either of those boys to guard the prisoner properly. It might have been down to his simple curiosity about the whole situation. It didn’t really matter what his intentions were but he’d said it now and he was going to have to stick to it. 

He cut off Morgause’s protests with a swift and democratic argument, a skill he had learnt from his Father. “You know I’m the best person for this. I’m the best fighter here and if he gets loose then it’s only me that’ll be in his way. I’ll alert you when he’s awake.” 

She scowled at him for a moment but it seemed that she decided that arguing the matter would be a waste of time, especially since it was Arthur, and spun away to climb back down the ladder. As she descended he heard her order one of the boys to stand guard in front of the drop ship. He caught Morgana’s gaze as she followed her half sister and rolled his eyes at her to which she responded with a weak smile. 

Elyan shadowed Morgana but Gwen lingered behind, clearly hesitant to leave someone she deemed her patient. Arthur squeezed her shoulder gently and she turned to look at him, her face open and honest. 

“Why don’t you go downstairs and rest or tend to Leon. When he wakes up, I’ll be sure to come and get you first.” 

She smiled gratefully and began to drift over to the hatchway. “Thank you Arthur. I’m not sure how long he’s been unconscious but I can’t imagine you’ll have long to wait. If he wakes up and starts lashing out then just keep calm. He might be confused and hurt and probably scared since he’s tied up.” 

Arthur nodded and gave her a mock salute. “You’re the boss.” 

Arthur settled down on one of the seats that had carried them on their journey from Space to Earth and prepared to wait. 

The truth was, he’d volunteered to watch the Grounder because the whole situation seemed slightly odd. The Grounders had proved their capabilities at hunting, after all Arthur had seen it firsthand. It seemed extremely careless to be captured by the enemy. Whilst it’s true that his people might have had the numbers, the Grounders had the advantage since they knew the land and how to blend into it. They’d probably been hunting their entire lives so why had it been so easy for a bunch of untrained, scared kids be able to capture an experienced warrior? It didn’t make any sense. 

Arthur could completely believe that the Grounder’s would leave one of their own behind in order to save themselves. They seemed the ruthless kind and no doubt if they had not developed that strategy long ago then they probably would have died out before now. Arthur found it hard to believe that they had just ‘got lucky’. Luck did not exist in their world and even if it did, it would not be lending itself to the 100. 

Arthur was startled out of his thoughts by the sensation of being watched. He glanced at the hatch to see if anyone had come in without him noticing but there was no-one there. That meant only one thing then. 

He turned around to where he knew the Grounder was tied up, and his gaze was met by two piercing gold eyes staring at him critically. The Grounder’s face held no emotion as Arthur jumped up from his seat and approached him cautiously. 

Arthur stopped just an arm’s reach away from the Grounder and looked over him, more interested to do so now that the Grounder was awake because watching people whilst unconscious, Grounder or not, was creepy in Arthur’s books. 

His original assessment that the Grounder looked relatively human in every way was correct other than his golden eyes. At least that he could see, though those ears were debatable since they looked like they belonged more to one of the elephants that Arthur had seen pictures of in books than to an actual person. 

The Grounder’s skin was pale and littered with scars and bloody wounds. There were scars down the side of his face, as if something had taken a swing at him, attempting to claw out his eye. War paint and blood mixed to create a dramatic effect around his eyes and a feathered wing was tattooed across his chest. 

The Grounder stared without flinching at Arthur. He wondered what the Grounder was thinking. One of his people, maybe even this very Grounder, had tried to kill him and his friends, and here he was tied up to the mercy of Arthur’s people. He didn’t even know if he spoke English, but he decided to try anyway. 

“I probably sound ridiculous, I don’t even know if you understand me but I need to know if you’re badly hurt anywhere.” 

Silence. The Grounder barely even blinked. It was quite unnerving which was no doubt the point: an intimidation tactic even though he was the one tied up. 

“Anything? If you can understand anything I’m saying I’d be deeply appreciative if you’d let me know somehow so I’m not just stood talking to myself like an idiot,” Arthur paused, “Let’s try a bit simpler then.” He gestured to his body as he spoke, slowly and not in a form of English his primary school teacher would approve of, “Hurt? Is there anywhere that hurts? Bad injuries that need attention?” 

Still more uncomfortable silence. Excellent. It had briefly crossed Arthur’s mind that the Grounder could maybe understand him, but he didn’t exactly look the type to be scared and hold back. But then again, Arthur knew better than anyone that appearances could be deceiving. 

“Ok then. Even simpler. My name is Arthur. What’s yours? Do you even have a name?” He pointed at himself to indicate that he was talking about himself. Even if the Grounder didn't understand English, might understand what Arthur was trying to say by doing that. 

More silence. At this point, he wasn’t quite sure what he expected. A noise behind him jolted him out of the intense staring competition he wasbe engaged in. He swung around just in time to see the head of one of Morgause’s minions disappear back down the ladder. Crap, Gwen wasn’t going to get first dibs after all. 

Gwen shuffled in behind Morgause and her cronies, looking as close to irritated as she could manage. She came to a stop next to Arthur and he felt a pang of disappointment at letting her down. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t come and get you,” he whispered, being careful that no-one else could hear. “I was about to but one of The Minions beat me to it.” 

Gwen’s features relaxed into something softer at Arthur’s words. “No, it’s not your fault. It’s Morgause’s! She just makes me so angry. This man clearly needs my help, Grounder or not, and she won’t let me do my job.” 

“I know,” Arthur soothed, “Though honestly right now I’m more concerned about what Morgause is going to do with him now.” 

He turned his attention back to Morgause, who was standing in front of the Grounder, hands on hips and lip curled into a disgusting sneer. She was flanked by the two boys who had tied up the Grounder and Morgana. She was utilising everything she had to try and come off as intimidating and scary but the Grounder looked unimpressed by the whole thing. It made Arthur want to snigger. 

“What’s your name?” Morgause barked. “Where’s your camp? How many of you are there?” 

“I’m not sure he speaks English, Morgause,” Arthur injected into the rabid fire of questions. “I doubt he understands you.” 

If looks could kill then Arthur probably would have been as dead as the rest of the human race. “Oh, he’ll understand me.” 

It sounded ominous and Arthur wasn’t quite sure what she meant by it, but all he could think about was how much she sounded like a bad villain from one of those old movies his Father had shown him. 

She repeated her questions again, focusing on where he was from and how many of them were there, but he still didn’t answer, just looking at her through dull eyes. With each question she got more frustrated and Arthur knew it was only a matter of time before she lost her temper properly - and that would not end well for anyone. 

“Come on you idiotic barbarian! Answer me!” Morgause shrieked. Morgana had began to edge away from her sister, closer to Arthur and Gwen, starting to become uneasy with her sister’s emotions. “I’m ordering you to answer me! How long have you been watching us? Where are the rest of your kind?” 

When she was met with silence again, she let out an ear splitting scream of frustration. She was like a child having a temper tantrum, except this child happened to be in charge of one hundred people’s lives. 

“Fine. We can do this the easy way or the hard way. And I don’t think you’re going to like the hard way.” 

Gwen turned to Arthur and whispered. “What’s the hard way? What’s she talking about?” 

Arthur didn’t answer though because Morgause was once again answered with silence and had decided to do things ‘the hard way’. She stormed over to one of the seats and ripped the seatbelt from it, a red piece of fabric with a metal buckle hanging from the end swinging as she walked back over to the Grounder. 

“Last chance,” She growled, hands tightening around the belt. Arthur sucked in a breath. She wouldn’t do what he was thinking, would she? 

The Grounder stayed resolute. 

It was Morgause. Of course she would. 

Arthur didn’t see her swing, only the blur of an object moving fast through the air, but he certainly heard it hit the Grounder in the chest. It walloped him with a thud, knocking the air from the Grounder’s lungs with a grunt. A line of red appeared and began to drip down his abdomen, but his expression never changed once. 

“Answer me! How many of you are there!?” 

Gwen surged forward but one of the boys blocked her way, holding her back. “No, you can’t you do that! Stop Morgause, you have to stop!” 

Morgause paid her no mind and struck the Grounder again. And again. And again. Each wound looked worse than the next and Morgause looked like she was about to start frothing at the mouth but still he didn’t answer. 

He looked over to Gwen who had stopped struggling to get to Morgause and was just openly weeping now. Morgana was standing beside, her face paler than usual, unshed tears sparkling in her eyes. She was shaking. 

Arthur stepped forward. He’d seen enough. This was not what they were. This was not who his people were going to be. 

He sidestepped his friends, squeezing their arms on his way past. Morgause’s boys tried to stop him but they were no match for him and he just shoved them out of his way like they were inconsequential. 

Morgause paid no mind to what was happening behind her as she raised the belt to strike again. As it flew down towards the Grounder’s chest it was stopped by a hand. 

Arthur stood in front of her, solid as a wall with a look of barely controlled anger. “Enough.” He growled, not trusting himself to say more in case he did manage to lose a hold on that temper. 

Morgause tried to yank the belt from his hands to no avail. “I’ll tell you when it’s enough!” she spat. 

Arthur pulled the rest of the belt from Morgause’s hands, leaving her unarmed, and tossed it to the side. He took a step closer to her, his superior height put to good use. “I said, enough.” 

She tried to stare him down but Arthur could see in her expression the moment when she realised that Arthur was being completely serious and might actually hit her. “Fine. But this isn’t the end of it.” 

Morgause spun around and left, like the overdramatic bitch Arthur knew and hated. He relaxed, only by a fraction though, still feeling to wound up to do so properly. He looked over at the rest of the room. “Everybody else out too.” 

Mogause’s Minions bid a hasty retreat behind their mistress, and Gwen and Morgana followed behind them,trying to regain some control over their tears. Arthur trailed behind them, eyes fixed on the floor as he walked. 

As he began to lower himself down the ladder, he grabbed the hatch to close it behind him. The last thing he saw in the room as he did was the battered and beaten body of the Grounder and his golden eyes watching him leave.

 

*****

 

Later that day Arthur quietly ascended the ladder and climbed through the hatchway. He sat quietly on the top step,watching the scene before him. 

Gwen was standing in front of the Grounder, wiping a damp rag across his chest in an effort to clean the wounds and dispel the dried blood and mud. She spoke quietly to him as she worked, a gentle lull of words. The rag went over one of the nastier cuts and whilst the Grounder didn’t even wince, Arthur sucked in a sharp breath of sympathy. 

The Grounder immediately looked up at the sound from where he had been staring at Gwen with something akin to gratefulness. Gwen jumped at the sudden change in her patient’s demeanour and spun around, only to relax when she saw it was Arthur. 

Arthur pulled himself the rest of the way through the hatch as Gwen spoke. 

“Arthur! You have to stop scaring me like that! I thought Morgause had come back to check up on her handiwork,” she spoke the last part with a surprising bitterness, something Arthur had never heard in her tone before. 

“No fear, it’s only me,” Arthur said with a crooked grin. 

“How’s Morgana holding up?” 

Arthur shrugged. “I’m not sure. I think she’s starting to realise her sister isn’t the golden girl she thought she was.” 

Gwen nodded understandingly. “Poor Morgs. I mean Morgause is quite possible my least favourite person of all time but that must still be hard for Morgana to comprehend.” 

“Yeah...” Arthur paused awkwardly. He hated to admit it but he really didn’t know how Morgana was holding up . She wouldn’t speak to him properly and even though they had been very close in the time they’d known about each other,he honestly didn’t know her well enough to be able to get a handle on the situation. He wasn’t even sure Morgana knew how to handle it all. “Anyway, I came up because Leon says his dressings need changing. I did offer but he said, and I quote, ‘I love you dearly Arthur but you have big, clumsy, oafish hands’. I think those pain meds are kicking in from earlier.” 

Gwen chuckled at Leon’s words, but she glanced back at her patient, unsure as to who to tend. 

“It’s ok,” Arthur assured, “You’re just cleaning the wounds right? I’m pretty sure even I could handle that.” 

“Are you sure?” 

“Yes Guinevere, I’m sure. You don’t want to keep Princess Leon waiting for you now, do you?” 

She rolled her eyes and gave a mock gasp. “Well in that case, I must attend to him immediately.” She handed over the rag and the bowel of water she was using to clean it. The water, normally clear, had swirls of red and brown that twisted this way and that as the water sloshed against the sides. “Thank you Arthur. And... be gentle?” 

“I know, I know. You don’t need to tell me.” 

“I realise it goes without saying but Leon might have been onto something about those hands of yours," Gwen teased, making her way to the ladder. 

“Well, if that’s the way I’m treated then I shall just stop helping all together, it’s clearly not appreciated.” 

“Oh Arthur, I didn’t know you were competing for ‘Camp’s Biggest Drama Queen’. You’ve got some big competition against Morgause.” 

“Slander!” Arthur declared. 

Gwen sniggered as she made her way down the ladder, but paused midway and sobered a little. Arthur had noticed she seemed to have a habit of becoming very serious, very quickly. “It was a good thing you did earlier. Stopping them. I realise what little power you have here and the need to pick your battles... but I’m glad you picked that one as one of them.” 

“Someone needed to stop them and since it was clear no-one else was going to, I did. We were given this new chance, to build a proper civilisation, to start again. How are we supposed to have any hope for building a better future if this is what we are doing now?” 

“Well,” Gwen spoke slowly, taking great effort to choose her words, “When I hear you talk like that, I believe we might actually be in with a shot.” 

Arthur let out a huff of air, and gave her a sad half smile. “Go and see to Leon.” 

Gwen disappeared the rest of the way down the ladder without a word, though Arthur suspected she did so with a smile. He turned his attention around to the Grounder who was watching him, the suspicion evident in his eyes. Arthur approached him slowly whilst washing the rag out the best he could. The water was so dirty though -he’d have to get some more soon. 

Arthur reached out, rag in hand to clean a wound and the Grounder flinched for the first time that Arthur had seen. It was though he had expected Arthur to hurt him despite him stopping it earlier, as if Arthur was playing a cruel joke. He’d never felt more like a monster in his life. 

He chose to dedicate his attention to a particularly angry looking welt that crossed over the Grounder’s tattoo. The blue ink mixed with red, like a twisted painting. He silently washed away the blood and dirt, trying his best not cause any more pain for the Grounder but whilst he was doing that, he could just feel himself getting angrier and angrier. 

Anger with himself for letting Morgause do this. Anger at not stopping her earlier. Anger that they had been left on this planet to die by his father. None of it was fair, and no matter how petulant he sounded, Arthur didn’t care. They had been left alone to try and figure it all out for themselves, but they were just kids. And this whole thing with the Grounder had crossed a line in Arthur’s head that he didn’t even know he had. 

None of this should’ve happened, and he couldn’t help but feel responsible for it all. He began to speak quietly as he worked, similar to how Gwen had, though it was more to bring comfort to himself than anything. 

“I know you can’t understand what I’m saying but for what it’s worth, I am so sorry this happened to you. I should never have let it go this far. I don’t know who you are and I don’t know what kind of person you are. You could be the one that shot my friend or you might just be an innocent bystander in all this but you didn’t deserve this. No-one does. This isn’t what we were supposed to do,” Arthur sighed, frustration seeping into his voice. “We were given another chance to do something good and instead we’re back where we were one hundred years ago: fighting among ourselves, hurting each other. Sometimes... Sometimes I wish the human race hadn’t survived. We always seemed doomed to make the same old mistakes- maybe the planet is better off without us.” 

“Merlin.” 

It was a croak, barely even heard legible to the ear but it was there. Arthur paused mid action and looked up from the gash he was tending. He couldn’t have heard that right, surely? “What?” 

“My name is Merlin.” 

Arthur stared at him, unable to form a single sentence. His head buzzed from the knowledge he had gained from just four words. The Grounder understood them? He spoke English? He had a name? What sort of name was Merlin anyway? Wasn’t that a species of bird? That might explain the tattoo of the wing then. 

Arthur opened his mouth to say something, anything at all but stopped as Gwen’s voice drifted into the room. 

“Alright, Leon has been seen to. I can take over again. Hopefully you didn’t provoke him too much,” Gwen joked. She frowned as she saw Arthur though, “Arthur? Are you alright? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.” 

Arthur jerked his gaze away from the Grounder’s eyes and looked over to Gwen, forcing a smile onto his lips. From the look on Gwen’s face, it wasn’t all that convincing but Arthur knew she was too polite to call him out if he didn’t voluntarily give up the problem. “I’m fine Gwen. Just a little little nauseous from all the blood.” 

“Nauseous? From blood? You?” 

Arthur nodded quickly and all but shoved the rag and bowl into her hands, “Uhuh. I’ll just leave you to it then?” 

He didn’t give her time to answer, escaping down the hatch feeling slightly cowardly at his actions, but unable to feel guilty about them. He wasn’t sure why he didn’t just tell her that the Grounder, Merlin, could understand and speak English but he felt like if Merlin had wanted Gwen to know then he would have just said something. But why him? Why did he talk to him? 

As Arthur exited the drop ship, the cool air of the fast disappearing summer hit him. He stilled for a moment to breathe it in and as he did, he resolved to return later when no-one would interrupt them to get some answers.

 

*****

 

It wasn’t until he was under the cover of darkness and everybody, save the skeleton crew patrolling the fence perimeter, had gone to bed that Arthur snuck back into the drop ship. 

Merlin was awake when Arthur entered the room, just like Arthur suspected he would be, gold eyes following him as he walked closer. The cuts on his chest were clean of blood but were angry and red from healing. Now that he was here, Arthur didn’t really know what to say. Merlin saved him the trouble of trying to remember his line of thought by speaking first. 

“You didn’t tell anyone that I could speak your language,” his voice still had a rusty edge from lack of use, similar to earlier but it sounded fuller now since he didn’t feel the need to speak in hushed tones. 

“No.” Arthur replied. 

“Why?” 

It was a good question, one that Arthur wasn’t quite sure of the answer of. He couldn’t really work out the logic of his actions other than it would not have ended well for the Grounder. “Can you imagine how Morgause would have reacted if she knew you understood what she was saying, but was just ignoring her? Does she seem like the type of women who gets ignored often?” 

It was subtle but Arthur could see Merlin’s mouth twitch with a concealed smile. Arthur counted that as a win. 

“Why did you stop her from beating me earlier?” 

The question caught Arthur off guard. “We were given an opportunity, to start again and this time to do it right. We’re all doomed if killing and hurting people for something as petty as information is how we’re starting that new society.” 

“The simple answer.” 

“It was wrong.” 

Merlin watched Arthur’s face critically, searching for the lie. Whatever was there was apparently enough for Merlin because he nodded. “Then I am sorry for what I’m about to do.” 

Before Arthur could realise what was happening, a fist collided with his nose. Pain blossomed and he could feel blood starting to drip from it. His vision went blurry and an unshakable feeling of dizziness took over him. He briefly wondered how he wasn’t unconscious. 

So at some point whilst everyone had left the Grounder on his own he’d managed to free himself but hadn’t escaped yet. He had probably been waiting for the cover of night to leave. It all seemed like a rookie mistake on their part though - he never should’ve been left alone in that room, even if there were guards outside. 

Arthur was using all his concentration just to stay on his feet but he did attempt a feeble swing to try and ward Merlin off. Pendragons didn’t go down without a fight. The Grounder paid him no mind and instead reached out and plucked Arthur’s sword from his belt. He’d completely forgotten it was there and he could feel the situation go from bad to worse. 

Merlin pulled Arthur against him, wrapping a strong arm around him to keep him in place and to stop him from falling over and used the other arm to hold Arthur’s sword against his neck, leaving no illusion as to what he would do if Arthur tried to struggle. 

He pulled Arthur through the drop ship and out into the fresh air. The camp was mostly still and dark, only those patrolling the gate were awake. The sound of snores and the fluttering of tents in the light breeze covered the sound of Merlin dragging Arthur through the camp towards the fence line. 

The Grounder searched for a weak spot on the fence to go through. Arthur wanted to call out, to Morgana, to anyone but the weight of the sword pressed up against his neck halted any shouts for help. 

Arthur’s vision was starting to go darker and by the sudden lack of movement from the Grounder he was pretty sure he had found a way through and was now trying to figure out how to haul Arthur through. He didn’t know why he still needed him at this point, he was pretty much clear for the home run. 

Then a noise behind them. Arthur was spun around as Merlin did and the sword was pressed against his throat even harder. Any harder and it would break skin. He could hear the Grounder let out a soft word in a language he had never heard before. Given the circumstances, he presumed it was a curse word. 

The noise had come from one of the night watchmen. 

The poor boy, because that’s all he was, a boy, looked terrified at the sight of the Grounder. He clutched a spear in his hand but it shook as he trembled and Arthur doubted that he even knew how to use it properly other than just jabbing it at things. 

The boy apparently recognised Arthur though and from somewhere summoned up some courage to try and point the spear menacingly at the Grounder. His voice quivered as he spoke, be kept his chin up and Arthur felt pride in him. “Release him. Now. And then go back to the ship.” 

Arthur couldn’t see Merlin’s facial expressions or reactions but he could hear his replies and movements. Merlin’s voice was low as he hissed back a reply, a far cry from the voice he had used to speak to Arthur earlier with. “Come any closer and I will kill him.” 

The boy paid no mind though and took a step forward. In retaliation Merlin pressed the sword even tighter, letting the blade kiss the skin and thin line of red trickle out. The boy visibly blanched at the sight of Arthur’s blood and took a step back again, realising Merlin was not joking. 

They were locked in a stalemate and all Arthur could focus on was the pain in his neck and nose and the way he was slumped forward in Merlin’s arms. He wished someone would make a move so that he could pass out somewhere at last. 

“If you call for help, I will kill him. You’re going to let us leave and then you’re going to go back to your post like nothing happened. Don’t follow us and don’t try to find us. It will end badly for both of you,” Merlin snarled at the boy, who looked ready to bolt in the other direction. “Is that understood?” 

The boys head nodded fervently and the Grounder began to back away, pulling Arthur with him. The boy mouthed ‘I’m sorry’ at Arthur, about to burst into tears but Arthur barely computed it, his sight at this point so blurry and dark he wasn’t quite sure whether he had already passed out and this was all a dream. 

Merlin awkwardly manoeuvred himself backwards through the gap that he’d made and then dragged Arthur through it behind him. They were now out of the camp but clearly for Merlin it was not safe enough yet. He lugged Arthur up, trying to get him to use his feet and dragged him along, disappearing into the blackness of the woods.


	3. Chapter 3

Walking through the woods was hard enough as it was when it was dark, but when you were half unconscious and being dragged by a crazy man it was even harder. Arthur was ashamed that he didn’t put up more of a struggle but his limbs felt floppy and his head pounded and damn that Grounder hit hard.

He couldn’t see much but he could feel blood trickling, warm and without sign of stopping from his nose. He wasn’t completely sure as to how he was still conscious at this point. Perhaps it was from just sheer determination that he didn’t want to be blacked out around the Grounder who could do Gods know what with him. It might have out of preserving the little dignity he had left because as least if he was awake (mostly) he contributing to being hauled along the forest floor.

What Arthur wanted more than anything at that moment though, was to be able to see where he was going. He had no idea where he was and if somehow at some point he managed to elude his captor, he’d probably die lost in the forest unable to locate his way home. He was pretty sure in these situations you were supposed to think positive thoughts and so you don’t lose hope, but that wasn’t really working out for him.

Despite the state he was in, he knew for a fact there wasn’t going to be a rescue team looking for him. For starters Morgause would never allow it, even if there was hope that he was alive but he knew how bad it looked: taken at knife point out of the camp. There wasn’t use for him after that so he probably would’ve been killed. Did that mean Merlin was going to kill him? 

No, that didn’t make sense. If Merlin wanted Arthur dead then he would have already killed him since he was well clear of Arthur’s camp now. There was no need to keep dragging dead weight behind him. Figurative dead weight of course, he wasn’t quite dead yet though he was beginning to wonder what would kill him first: The Grounders or his headache. Arthur was pretty sure he had concussion. 

It also didn’t explain all the questions Merlin had asked him back at the drop ship before he had attacked him. Why would he make conversation with a man he planned to kill? Arthur got the impression that Grounder’s were more of an act first, speak later people going from the ‘arrow incident’. 

Arthur didn’t know how long it had been but at some point Merlin dropped him on the ground roughly. Arthur barely had time to notice that it wasn’t the harsh pine needled and mossy forest floor that rested against the side of his face but a cold and hard surface.

He was almost relieved as black began to steal his vision and sweep him into the blissful darkness of unconsciousness.

 

*****

 

The next time Arthur opened his eyes, he was struck with a disarming feeling of vertigo and overwhelming urge to throw up. His limbs felt stiff and sore and he wondered for a moment if Morgana had gotten him drunk and left him to sleep on the ground for a laugh. She’d probably be along any minute now without a hangover, ready to make Arthur’s own one worse.

But then he remembered. He remembered where he was, well perhaps not exactly where he was, but he remembered being taken from his camp and he remembered that the sick feeling in stomach was not from a hangover but from having his face half bashed in.

With a groan, he rolled onto his back. His gaze was met by rock hanging from the ceiling. So he was in a cave then. That did explain why the ground was so uncomfortable. 

Arthur turned his head sideways. There was a small fire burning near him, providing the only light and warmth in the cave. Sitting next to it was the Grounder, Merlin. It appeared he hadn’t noticed Arthur wake. He was whittling away at a bit of tree branch, the concentration evident in his expression. 

Arthur watched him for a moment as he worked. The darkness of the cave cast shadows across the Grounder’s face and with the light of the flames it made Merlin’s eyes look like they were on fire. He wasn’t sure what game Merlin was playing with him and he wasn’t sure how long he might have left to live but if he was going to die, he was going to do it as irritating and obnoxiously as he could.

That was something else his Father had taught him: never show fear. Which is why the first words out of his mouth to Merlin since regaining consciousness was, “It’s rude to kidnap people you know. Especially people that help you.”

Merlin looked up at him startled. He wondered how many times Merlin had been startled in his life. He didn’t seem like the sort of person that you could get the drop on very easily so Arthur counted in plan as a success from Merlin’s reaction.

“You’re awake.”

Stating the obvious. “Ten out of ten for observation there.”

Merlin ignored the sarcasm. “How do you feel?”

Arthur gave him a toothy grin and Merlin looked like he was starting to become concerned by Arthur’s behaviour. “Good, good. Well, other than that my head feels like it’s been cracked open by someone’s fist.. Oh wait..”

Merlin’s eyes narrowed and he chucked the piece of wood into the fire, sparks flying into the air on impact. Arthur dropped his smile like he was taking off a mask and levelled Merlin a look, jutting his chin out in an act of defiance. “So what now then? Are you going to kill me?”

Merlin raised an eyebrow. “Kill you? Why would I want to kill you?”

Arthur snorted as if he had been told a hilarious joke. “Why would you want to kill me after you knocked me out, took me from my camp at knife point and held me hostage? After your people tried to kill mine? Yes, why would you want to kill me?”

“Ah.”

“Yeah, ‘ah’. You see how bad this looks? Idiot.”

Merlin at least had the grace to look vaguely embarrassed but he still seemed remarkably unconcerned about the whole ordeal. But it still didn’t answer Arthur’s question. What did Merlin want with him? He wasn’t even quite sure if he believed that Merlin wasn’t going to kill him.

“If this is how you repay people who show you kindness, I’d hate to see how you treat people like Morgause.”

Merlin gave Arthur a dark look, his eyes glinting with malicious intent at the thought. It was enough to remind Arthur that this was a Grounder, that he was dangerous and barbaric. Not a friend. “We kill those who stand against us. You’d do well to remember that Arthur of The Sky People.”

Sky People? Is that what they were calling them? Well it was better than his people’s name for them. Grounders. He supposed it didn’t really matter what they were called, just that they remembered what they did: hurt and kill Arthur’s people. “So, if you’re not going to kill me, what are you going to do with me?”

“I’m taking you back to my village.”

“So that they can kill me?” Arthur asked. Merlin gave him a pointed look. “What? You said you wouldn’t kill me. You never said your people wouldn’t.”

Merlin looked like he wanted to roll his eyes at Arthur, but his mysterious and manly warriorness obviously prevented him from doing so. “They don’t want to kill you. Though that’s not to say they won’t harm you so if I were you I’d try very hard to piss them off. The Commander can be a very unforgiving man, or so I’ve heard.”

“Your leader sounds like a bit of clotpole.”

“And yours isn’t?”

“Morgause won’t be leader for much longer.” Arthur replied, leaving it at that. 

It was obvious by Merlin’s body language that he wanted Arthur to elaborate further but just because they weren’t trying to kill each other, doesn’t mean he was going to give away all his people’s secrets just like that. For all he knew, this was all a ruse to get information and The Ark was the ace up Arthur’s sleeve. The Grounder’s might have the advantage at the moment with superior knowledge and undoubtedly more warriors but when the rest of the Ark came with their weapons and technology and extra people it was then that ‘The Sky People’ became a real threat with their advanced way of life that could easily wipe out the indigenous people.

Merlin nodded and accepted his answer by giving his own cryptic one. “Good.”

It was all fun and games being enigmatic to someone else but it wasn’t half annoying when it turned the other way on you. Why was it good? Because Morgause was an awful person? Or was there some other ulterior motive? Arthur was beginning to wonder if he’d ever get to relax again or if he’d always be on guard.

“How long will it take to get to your village?”

“A day or two at most,” Merlin answered with consideration, “Depends on how much you slow us down. But first I need to hunt. I don’t know about you but I haven’t eaten in a couple of days and even you are starting to look appetising.” 

“I sincerely hope that was a joke. An awful attempt at a joke.”

Merlin stared at him unblinkingly, face completely blank. Arthur knew he was doing it to unnerve him, that it really was a joke. He hoped. Merlin licked his lips and Arthur’s eyes darted down to the movement. Arthur gulped audibly before realising his mistake and trying to hide it. Merlin smirked and let out a small chuckle, dark and throaty. 

He stood up and picked up the sword that was resting by him. Arthur double took at it, suddenly realising why it was so familiar. It was his sword. The bloody Grounder had bloody well stolen it. He’d worked so hard on it too and he doubted he was ever going to get it back now, especially if he planned to make a run for it at some point. Which he most definitely planned as soon as he knew where he was and that he could get away safely.

“I’ll be back in a couple of hours. Stay here until I get back.”

“You’re joking right?”  
Merlin looked like confused as if he wondered why Arthur thought he had made a joke. “No?”

Arthur stood up, muscles aching protest at the sudden movement. “You’re not leaving me behind, I’m coming with you. I can hunt.”

“You can hunt? There are children in my village that can hunt better than you. You are not coming with me. You’ll scare all the prey away.” Merlin replied firmly, hands tightening around the sword.

“Of course I can hunt! I’m still alive, aren’t I? Besides, if you leave me here alone how do you know I won’t run away?” Arthur congratulated himself on the brilliant argument point but Merlin easily dismissed it.

“You won’t get far and I’d follow your tracks easily. This is my point exactly: you are clumsy and uneducated.” Merlin scoffed.

“Then teach me. If you’re not going to kill me and you’re not going to let me go, then teach me how to survive properly then. You’re still injured; you have enough to worry about without having to feed me too.” Anything to get out of that damn cave.

Merlin scratched absently at the mention of his wounds. They were red and irritated and whilst Arthur wasn’t qualified to say so, it looked to him like the cuts were not healing properly. Some of the strikes had caused scratches deeper than others and it was likely some of them needed to be stitched up. He suspected they would probably become infected if they weren’t properly tended to, but if Arthur knew that then Merlin should too since he was so well versed in survival. Idiotic Grounder.

“Fine.” Merlin finally relented. “But if I die of starvation because you scared off my food then I will eat you.”

Arthur couldn’t help it, but his mind leapt to other meanings of that sentence. Morgana was a worse influence on him than he originally thought. He could feel his ears burning with shame at the thought and immediately broke eye contact with Merlin, unable to look him in the eye. 

“Excellent. Let’s go then.”

Arthur didn’t quite realise how dark the cave was until he walked out of it, the light overwhelming his senses for a moment until he adjusted back to it, blinking rapidly. Merlin began to walk quickly forward with an obvious direction to where he was going leaving Arthur to scurry behind to keep up with him.

“What are we going to try and catch then?” He asked, curious as to what Merlin could do. “A deer?”

Merlin glanced at him out of the corner of his eye before looking straight on again, keeping up his brutal pace. “Why would we need an entire deer to ourselves? It’d be a waste. Besides I don’t have any weapons to kill one with.”

Arthur peered down at his own sword, still clutched in Merlin’s hand, out of reflex. Merlin caught sight of the movement and raised his eyebrow. “What are you going to do with that? Charge at it and hope for the best?”

Arthur glowered. “No, I’d.. throw.. it.” He finished lamely and Merlin smirked, the smarmy bastard. He didn’t have to answer to this Grounder. Who did he think he was? (Other than his captor that is.) Arthur could feel himself begin to flush again, but this time in anger. “Shut up. Fine then, tell me then wise and all knowing Merlin, what’s your plan?”

Arthur’s sarcasm hadn’t put a dent in Merlin’s smirk in the slightest, if not it got even bigger. “I know of some rabbit burrows near here. I’ll make some traps and set them in front of the burrows; it shouldn’t be too long until one gets caught in it whilst leaving or entering the burrow.”

If he hadn’t of been feeling so petulant about the fact the plan was sound, he probably would told Merlin it was good. But as it was, he was feeling petulant so he sniffed with disdain. “Fine. It might work.”

“I’m glad my plan has your approval.” Merlin drawled.

Did he just sass him? “Did you just sass me?”

“No, not at all.” He did! He sassed Arthur. Arthur didn’t know why Merlin thought he was entitled to sass at Arthur. He wasn’t the one that was being held against his will and dragged half way across the Earth. Or what felt like it anyway. 

They walked in silence, Merlin alert and a complete predator hunting his prey and Arthur sulking. He wondered if this is what Merlin had looked like when he had been hunting Arthur’s friends: vigilant and barely making a sound as he walked.

After a while Merlin stopped. Arthur looked around at the new location. It was on the edge of the forest with an open field in front of them, long grass sweeping back and forth in the breeze. Merlin turned to a tree and began to pick up different twigs that had fallen or been broken off from the tree. 

Arthur watched as Merlin efficiently assembled two traps, as if he had done it hundreds of times before. Which now that he thought about it, he probably had. The technique was similar to the one that he used though with a few subtle changes that probably made a lot effective than his.

Merlin had his back to Arthur which could mean all of three things: He didn’t think Arthur was a threat; He trusted Arthur; or he was just an idiot. Arthur suspected it was the latter out of the options. He wondered how difficult it would be, just to pick up a rock and bash Merlin’s head with it and run. In reality Merlin would probably hear Arthur sneaking up behind him with those big ears of his.

Merlin turned back around, traps in hand and a look on his face like he knew exactly what Arthur had been thinking. He wasn’t physic was he? That wasn’t a mutation that the radiation had created? Arthur sincerely hoped.

Arthur followed Merlin into the field where he located the different burrows easily and set the traps in front of them. 

“What now?” Arthur asked.

“We wait.” Merlin said slowly as if he were talking to someone who was particularly dense.

“No, I meant where do we wait? I usually go back to camp and come back before nightfall.” Arthur replied defensively. 

“I’m not waiting all day to find out if we caught a rabbit when he could just sit over there and wait an hour at most.” Merlin started off back towards the tree line but stopped and turned around. “Are you coming?”

Arthur grumbled but followed him none the less. It seemed to be something he was doing a lot lately: following Merlin. He didn’t like it in the slightest. 

They settled under some trees with a clear eye line to where the traps had been set. Arthur prepared himself for the long haul, of having to wait hours but Merlin must have brilliant luck or maybe the world just hated Arthur, because within half an hour a rabbit’s head popped out of its burrow and waltzed straight into their trap.

Merlin didn’t say anything about being right but as they walked over to collect the rabbit Arthur thought he was walking with a slight self satisfied swagger which greatly irritated Arthur, as if the being wrong wasn’t bad enough. 

The rabbit was still alive and struggling against the trap in an effort to escape when they reached it. Arthur completely understood how the rabbit felt. Using his sword, Merlin quickly and humanly killed the rabbit its legs twitching for a moment before it completely stilled.

Out of nowhere, a loud noise radiated through the forest, like someone had blown a large horn. Arthur spun around to try and locate the noise but instead what he saw was completely unexpected. A large yellow cloud seemed to enveloping the entire landscape at an incredible speed. Arthur didn’t know what it was, but either way it didn’t look good.

Merlin’s face was pale at the sight of it and instead of waiting to hear Arthur’s questions, he dashed back into the forest in the opposite direction of the cloud and left behind the rabbit they’d caught. Whatever that cloud was, it had Merlin seriously spooked if he leaving something as precious as good behind.

Arthur glanced at the cloud the fast approaching and in a snap decision decided to grab the rabbit before sprinting after Merlin trying to catch back to him.

Merlin ran through the forest so lightly, it was like feet barely touched the ground. He was like the deer from before, sharp and agile. He was built for this place in a way Arthur would probably never be. Arthur followed a few paces behind, the rabbit swinging from his hands in time to his steps as they tried to race from the yellow cloud, threatening to swallow them whole.

It was a while before Arthur realised they were just retracing their footsteps back to the cave having used most of his attention on making sure he kept Merlin in sight. Arthur had always considered himself quite a fast sprinter but Merlin was faster by miles.

The cloud was getting closer despite how fast they were running and threatening to bite their heels so when Merlin turned and vanished into the mouth of the cave, Arthur felt a flush of relief sweep through him and dug deep to sprint the last few steps as fast as he could physically move.

The fire was still burning, but only barely. The light in the cave was limited to the immediate area surrounding the fire, the logs blackened and white with ash, and an orange tinge lurking beneath them trying to fight free. 

Merlin was stood next to it breathing deeply trying to regain his breath, chest rising and falling heavily with each inhale and exhale. Some of the cuts that had scabbed over had broken from the exertion and had begun to bleed again smearing red across his chest.

“What the hell was that?” Arthur managed to ask between deep breaths, also out of breath. 

“We don’t know exactly what it is. Only that if it catches up with you, you die. My tribe uses a horn as a sort of early warning system to everyone so if there is anyone out in the forest they know to run.” Merlin explained, “Unlike you, who decides to stop to pick the damn rabbit? What were you thinking?”

“I was thinking that if we were going to be hiding from the cloud then I’d rather not be eaten by you because no-one took the rabbit.” Arthur retorted throwing the rabbit down onto the ground by the fire with a dull thud. “Speaking of which, how long are we going to be trapped here?”

“Until it the fog disappears. This puts back our journey by a day now though, if not more.”

“Well excuse me if I don’t sound too unhappy about that.” Arthur glanced at the dying fire, watching it burn warily. “That fire isn’t going to be able to cook a rabbit. How are we supposed to get more wood?”

Merlin gestured to the dark space behind Arthur as began lower himself to the ground. “I took the liberty of stock piling some wood earlier whilst you were asleep to save me the bother of having to go out again. It’s over there somewhere if you can find it.”

“Me? Why do I have to find it? What am I, your bloody manservant?”

Merlin waggled the sword in the air and picked up the rabbit. “Because I’m going to be preparing the food. And I’m not sure you’re the kind of person who can deal with a bit of mess very well.”

“I can deal with a bit of blood and guts.” Arthur growled.

“Sure you can,” Merlin replied soothingly, as if accommodating to a small child. “But I’m better at skinning rabbits than you so why don’t you do the heavy lifting and I’ll get on with dinner.”

It was like having a wife. If your wife was a crazy homicidal kidnapper that is. All very terribly domestic in a strange, strange way. With a loud huff to show his displeasure Arthur ventured into the unlit part of the cave, arms flapping blindly trying to feel out the fire wood. It was stupid, why didn’t Merlin just put them next to the fire like any normal person would? It was like he had planned this all just to be a huge inconvenience to Arthur.

After a few moments Arthur successfully located the bundle of logs and ventured back towards the fire. He threw one of the pieces of wood onto the fire, creating a shower of sparks before the fire began to envelop it and grow larger in flames. Arthur tossed the rest of the logs by the burning fire and turned around to Merlin who he could now see better due to the blaze.

Using Arthur’s sword, Merlin was skinning and gutting the rabbit with an expert hand, using more finesse than Arthur admittedly had. He was about to drop to the floor to sit when he realised there was a perfect opportunity to make Merlin’s life a little more inconvenient, sort of like how Arthur’s seemed to be going.

“Am I alright to sit down now, or is there anything else you’d like me to do? Bathe you? Hand feed you? Run around in the toxic cloud for you?”

Merlin looked up from his slicing for a moment before shaking his head and going back to it. “Well now you mention it, maybe you could find me a rare flower called the Mortaeus flower? Its petals are yellow and it looks a bit like an Orchid.”

“You’re not being serious?”

“Of course I’m not. Sit down Arthur.” Merlin replied but then he still his movements. “All joking aside, do not go out into the mist. It will kill you.”

Arthur shrugged as he sat down, pulling his legs up against his chest and encircling them with his arms. “Maybe I’d prefer death of my own doing than being taken to your settlement against my will to do Gods knows what with me.”

“Then I would say that is a coward’s way to go and you do strike me as a coward, Arthur of the Sky People. If you were to die by my hand Arthur, then you would already be dead. I have sworn you protection from my people, what more do you want?” 

“To go home.” Arthur replied as Merlin finished preparing the rabbit. Merlin sighed quietly at his answer and silently put the rabbit over the fire to cook. 

“You’re being childish.” He eventually replied, though Arthur remained completely unconvinced that is what Merlin really thought.

“I’m being childish? Newsflash for you, I am a child! You’ve taken me from my home, from my people, the people I care about and what, you expect me to be grateful? Happy? If you took me but not to kill me, then why did you take me? Tell me the truth!” Arthur finally let out all the pent up frustration and fear that he had been hiding in one outburst. He realised he wasn’t in the position to be making demands but at this point he didn’t care.

Merlin’s eyes watched him impassively, the flames dancing in the reflection of his eyes. He had pressed his lips together tightly as if to show he would not say another word. After few beats of silence it was clear that he wouldn’t speak again, Arthur let out a cry of exasperation.

“Great, that’s just great. And you expect me to trust you?” He shook his head and sighed, feeling very small and very trapped, as if he were back on The Ark again.

Merlin remained silent, out of guilt or just because he didn’t care, Arthur didn’t know but he was grateful. An argument with a trained warrior in an enclosed space could not lead to good things. Still though, he was justified in his anger completely.

He missed his friends but more than that, he was worried for them. With Arthur out of the way and Morgause in full control of the camp, Gods only know what sort of chaos she had plunged them into. 

Without his protection, his friends would surely suffer since they allied themselves with him and not Morgause. He hoped that she didn’t hurt them because he wouldn’t be quite sure what he would do to her if she laid a finger on them. He hoped that if it was too late for him to be saved, that they could get back in contact with his Father and have his entire people saved.

As his anger faded, guilt began to replace it. Merlin had taken care of him so far. He’d kept him safe, warm and hadn’t hurt him when he could have easily killed him himself or just left him to his fate in the toxic cloud. 

But then he had every right to be suspicious. Kidnapping and rudeness and not telling Arthur why he had to go with him. It didn’t really help the trust thing. It was the same conflicting argument Arthur had been having with himself since he’d woken up originally in the cave. Still, it didn’t hurt to be civil or as close it as Arthur could manage, if not to make his life easier.

“I’m not a physician or anything, but I think you should probably get those looked at.” Arthur said after a few moments of awkward silent, nodding at the wounds on Merlin’s chest. The bleeding had slowed down to an almost stop but they looked even angrier than they had earlier.

“Oh yes,” Merlin began sarcastically, “Let me just go outside and find some plants to make some medicine with.”

“Shut up, you know what I meant. Isn’t there anything here you could use? Not that I care what happens to you of course.”

“Of course not. That’s why you stopped my torture by at your camp. And this is a cave Arthur. I’m not sure if you’ve noticed but there isn’t a whole lot of anything other than rocks here.” Merlin replied irritatedly.

“Fine, forget I said anything then.” Arthur replied defensively.

Merlin sighed deeply. “No, it’s fine. And I’m sure they’ll be fine. We just need to get to my village quickly.”

Arthur nodded and they lapsed back into silence but this time it wasn’t filled with that angry tension. Merlin checked on the rabbit and when he was satisfied with it, he took it off the fire. Using the sword, he cut it in half and picked up half of it and offered it to Arthur wordlessly.

He accepted his half with a hint of surprise since he wasn’t expecting to eat of any of it. “Thank you.” He murmured. It was still hot in hands and he watched as Merlin began to tear into his half with abandon. Apparently he hadn’t lied when he said he hadn’t eaten for days. Good to know.

Merlin finished his quickly, picking the bones clean whilst Arthur picked and tore bits of meat of his. Despite having just polished off half a rabbit Arthur still could hear Merlin’s stomach growling for more.

“I don’t think I could eat anymore. You want the rest?” Arthur offered rather than just outright giving. Something he could tell about Grounders were that they were obviously a proud people and wouldn’t accept anything they deemed pity or charity.

Merlin looked at the rabbit longingly but he still asked, “Are you sure? This might be the last time we eat before we reach my camp.”

“Well either you eat it or it’ll get wasted.”

Arthur had barely finished his sentence when Merlin leaned over and snatched it from him, as if merely mentioning wasting food was blasphemy. Arthur watched with a feeling of satisfaction as he watched Merlin dig into the rest of the rabbit.

The rest of the evening passed by uneventful, the odd quip coming from either side of the fire but when Arthur laid down to sleep that night, warm and full from food, he reckoned he could have been kidnapped by worse people.

 

*****

 

Arthur peeled his eyes open and stretched taking great satisfaction as things popped and cracked. Sleeping on the cave floor two nights in a row was doing horrendous things to his back. 

The fire by now had completely died since no-one had tended to it over night but light filtered into cave from the entrance, sunlight completely unobscured by fog. Which meant the cloud must have cleared overnight, meaning they were free to leave unhindered.

Arthur sat up and turned to where Merlin lay still asleep, but stopped in his tracks from shock. 

Merlin’s entire chest was red and raised, puss and different fluids leaking out from the obviously infected wounds. He was trembling in his sleep, face sweaty and no doubt warm to touch. He was feverish and sick from untreated wounds, just like Arthur warned him about and it was an opportunity that he’d probably never get again.

He could either stay in the cave and try and nurse Merlin back to health, or he could make a run for it and try to make his way back to his camp, to his family and leave Merlin to die.

It seemed like such a simple choice, just to pick up his sword and walk out of that cave and never have to see that Grounder again. So why was he hesitating so much?

For the same reason he stopped Morgause hurting him, the same reason he’d grabbed the rabbit so Merlin didn’t starve: because it would be wrong to leave him for dead. Him, and his damn morals. 

Arthur let out a large sigh and rubbed his face, trying to clear all traces of sleep completely. It appeared he was here to stay and Arthur could say without a hint of uncertainty that he’d probably regret it at some point. But right at that moment he was wishing he had paid more attention to Gwen when she had tried to teach him how to look after sick people.


	4. Chapter 4

Arthur pressed the back of his hand to Merlin’s forehead. It was warm and clammy just like he suspected it would be. Right, so he had a fever. Arthur knew he needed to bring that fever down so he’d have to try and keep Merlin cool. And this fever was probably brought on by his wounds being infected so he needed to try and treat those.

That would be considerably difficult. Really, those cuts needed stitching but Arthur was lacking in the needle and thread department. He forgot to pick some up before he was kidnapped, like you do.

This was all Merlin’s fault. He should have listened to Arthur, he should have known his wounds were getting infected. He was supposed to be the all knowing hunting forest dwelling man so how could he make such a rookie mistake? It was the sort of thing he’d probably at scoff at Arthur’s people doing, the hypocrite. 

And now his life was in the hands of the very man he had kidnapped. What could have happened if he had kidnapped someone else or if Arthur hadn’t had such strong morals? Anybody else might have just killed him outright or left him to die. Either way, it would not have ended well for Merlin. Though it still might not if Arthur didn’t get his temperature down.

Helping his captor.. How was it that Arthur managed to get into these situations? It was ridiculous.

Arthur stood up and dusted himself off. He resolved himself for the first course of action: Go to the river they passed yesterday and bring back some water. He wasn’t exactly sure how he was going to get the water back though since he was literally carrying nothing but his clothes. Maybe Merlin had something?

Arthur crouched down again and began to pat Merlin down, feeling a bit awkward doing so. Patting an unconscious man just felt a bit weird to Arthur. The search revealed a dagger strapped to Merlin’s leg, a strange little talisman carved from wood hung on a piece of string in his pocket and a handful of an assorted mix of seeds and nuts. They were probably emergency rations. 

Now armed with his old sword and Merlin’s dagger, he started to head out of the cave. He paused at the entrance and peered over his shoulder to look at Merlin, lying on the ground. Arthur paused. He wanted to speak to him and tell him where he was going and he wasn’t sure why. He wouldn’t be able to hear Arthur, would he?

Arthur shook himself off and stepped into the sunlight, the rays of sun enveloping him in a warm glow. It was a wondrous feeling, one that Arthur would probably never get tired of. There were so many amazing things on the Earth that they never had in the Ark. The feeling of rain against his skin was something else they never had in Space that Arthur had fallen in love with.

He set off along the route he had constructed from his memory. He really hoped that it was accurate or else he might end up lost in the woods, wandering forever. He knew for a fact though that the river wasn’t too far away, half an hour walk at most.

He walked in silence on his way there, occasionally grunting with concentration when he had to climb up or down a steep slope, but mostly birds just chirped and the grass hissed as it swayed in the breeze. Soon, he could hear the churning of water indicating he was close by.

Arthur emerged from the trees into a clearing, where the river was flowing through. The ground underfoot turned from grass to rocks and pebbles making the terrain slightly harder to walk on. 

Arthur headed over to the river bank and cupped his hands into the water. He raised them to his mouth and gulped greedily trying to drink as much as he could before it all slipped out from between his fingers. The water was cold and a blessing as it slipped down his throat, parching a thirst Arthur hadn’t even been aware he’d had. It made sense though, for it had been nearly two days since he’d last had a drink.

He glanced down at his reflection in the running water. It wasn’t a clear image; it wavered like mirage because the river was moving so fast. He cupped his hands again into the water and washed his face, dried blood and dirt no longer staining his face. It felt much better to be clean again.

Now that he had taken care of his trivial tasks now he had to do what he was there for: get some water to clean Merlin’s wounds and to bring down his temperature. 

Arthur walked along the river bank, searching among the rocks for anything that could be used as a container. After ten minutes of looking he gave up. There was nothing there apart from stones and driftwood. Of course it couldn’t just be that easy, no. Now it was time to get creative. 

Arthur picked up one of the larger pieces of driftwood that was lying nearby on a rock, drying in the sun. He sat down on the rock next to where he found it and took out Merlin’s knife and began to carve at the wood. If he couldn’t find a container, he’d have to make one. He longed more than ever for the metal flask from the Ark that he’d left at the camp.

Arthur wasn’t a skilled carver by any shape. In fact he had literally no idea what he was doing since he’d never done anything even close to it before. But it couldn’t be that hard could it? Just hacking away at wood until it hollowed out enough to be able to keep water in it. He really hoped it wouldn’t leak.

Peelings of wood fell to the ground around Arthur, some deciding to drift off with the breeze. Every time Arthur managed to nick himself he’d hiss a little with pain but carry on working. Time really was of the essence in this situation.

As he worked, he wondered where Merlin’s people were. Surely they would be out looking for him by now? Or maybe they didn’t care. They didn’t seem to care all that much when Merlin was captured by Arthur’s people.

After a while Arthur set the knife down and stretched. He probably was starting to burn around his nose and cheeks. He’d been sat in the sweltering midday heat without any shade or protection. He hadn’t even noticed how hot it’d gotten, he was so absorbed in what he was doing.

The wood now only vaguely resembled a bowl like shape, however it had been hallowed out sufficiently enough that it would probably carry water in it now. Arthur resolved that it would just have to be good enough for now. It didn’t need to be aesthetically pleasing, only practical. 

Arthur pocketed the knife again and took the bowl over to the river and filled it up. It stayed in, even when Arthur jiggled it around in experiment. Relief flooded Arthur. He really didn’t know what he would have done had that plan not succeeded. 

Arthur drank the contents of the bowl happily and he felt himself began to cool down to a more acceptable temperature. It should keep him going for a little while anyway. He refilled the bowl, this time with water for Merlin and began to retrace his steps back to the cave, trying not to let any of the contents spill out.

Including the journey there and back, Arthur had only been gone for roughly two hours and whilst it wasn’t all that long, Merlin’s condition could have seriously deteriorated. A part of him really hoped it hadn’t for some reason, but he put it down to the fact that he needed Merlin to get home.

Re-entering the cave was a moment filled with anticipation and suspense. Arthur wasn’t sure what he’d find, if Merlin might be as cold as the cave floor. Arthur paused and listened, hoping to hear any sign of life from within.

A faint wheezing was the only noise breaking the silence of the barren cavern and Arthur sighed with reprieve before rushing forward to kneel at Merlin’s side. He was still feverish, completely flushed and sweating profusely. What he needed was a cold flannel on his forehead but for lack of flannel, random material would have to do.

Arthur unwound his scarf from his neck and began to rip into strips, one to be used for a flannel, and the rest to be used as bandages for Merlin’s wounds. Each strip tore away from the main piece of scarf with a satisfying ripping noise. He was about to tear the next strip when his hands felt something cold and hard attached to the underside of the scarf. He turned it over and it revealed a brooch.

It was the one his Father had given him so many years ago. He’d actually forgotten he was carrying it with him. He turned over in his hands, inspecting it. It was a silver dragon, the Pendragon’s family crest. He didn’t know how long the crest had been with the family or who it even originally belonged to, but it was passed down from parent to child, every generation. Or at least every generation on the Ark. Until now that was.

Arthur was going to have to break it. The sharp pin that allowed you to wear the brooch would be perfect for a needle. Or the best thing Arthur would be able to get his hands on, anyway. It was a shame his kids wouldn’t get the heirloom, but at least they’d have a good story to tell, if Merlin survived that is. He put the brooch safely in his pocket so he wouldn’t lose it, ready for use later on.

With all the cloth now ripped into strips, Arthur took one and bunched it up into a shape that would cover Merlin’s forehead before dipping it into the bowl of water. He ringed it slightly, letting water fall back into the bowl so it was only damp and not soaking before resting it against Merlin’s head. Despite still being unconscious Merlin still let out a sigh of relief from the cool material. 

Ok, good start for Arthur then. Merlin was still alive and he’d ticked off item number one on his to do list. Now for item number two, a lot less pleasant job.

He was going to have to clean those wounds, and that wouldn’t be fun for either of them. They were still swollen, perhaps even more so than that morning and they were leaking pus and fluid, as well as blood. It was one of the most horrific things Arthur had even seen, and there was this overwhelming guilt that maybe Merlin wouldn’t be in nearly so much pain right now if Arthur hadn’t just stepped in sooner than he had. Merlin may have kidnapped him yes, but they were both humans and Arthur wouldn’t even wish Morgause that sort of pain. 

Arthur dipped a rag into the water and ringed it like he had done with the previous one. With great hesitance he began to dab gently at one of the inflamed cuts. Merlin hissed and groaned in pain at each touch but Arthur could do nothing but carry on. Sometimes you had to be cruel to be kind, and it would only get worse if Arthur didn’t clean it.

Soon the rag was covered in blood and fluid but the cut was finally as clean as it was possible given the circumstances, so Arthur rinsed it and began onto the next cut, occasionally swapping rags when one became too unclean. 

Eventually all the wounds had been cleaned to Arthur’s satisfaction and Arthur tossed the sodden rag to the side. The cuts were still raised and angry but at least all the incrusted blood and dirt had been taken care of. A quick glance up to Merlin showed that he was still unconscious though his features were scrunched slightly in pain, and for the first time since the whole ordeal had began Arthur was glad Merlin wasn’t awake. 

Because the next part was going to be horribly painful.

Arthur pulled his brooch at of his pocket and looked at it for a moment before snapping the pin off it. He ripped some threads off his scarf and threaded it through the hole in the pin. Luckily not all of the cuts required stitching, some would heal fine on their own as long as they were taken care of. 

Arthur took a deep breath and steeled himself. He had one chance to get it right, so he better not fuck it up. His hand was steady as he brought it close to the cut. With only a second’s hesitation, he pulled the make shift needle through the skin and sewed a part of the wound shut. Merlin groaned deeply from the pain and blood began to trickle out from the incision however Arthur ignored it. If he stopped he knew he wouldn’t be able to carry on. He had to be resolute. 

He carried on sewing the wound shut at a brutal pace, each insertion of the needle letting out a soft moan of pain from Merlin. The wound was stitched together in a record amount of time and when Arthur had finished, he cut off the extra thread with Merlin’s knife. 

He then set off onto the next wound that was deep enough to require stitching, working at the same pace as the one before. He was cold and efficient in his movements but he knew the faster he could get it done, the sooner it’d all be over and Merlin could hopefully start to heal. 

Soon he had completed sewing up all the wounds. He had no longer idea how much time had passed. Each second felt like it had been suspended and lengthened into hours. Trails of blood now dripped down his chest like red tears. 

Arthur picked up another rag and wetted it before cleaning Merlin’s chest of this new blood, careful not to open any of the stitches with an accidently rough movement. Arthur still had plenty of strips of material from his scarf still left over however they weren’t long enough to be wrapped around his abdomen completely like a proper bandage. Instead Arthur laid them over each wound to give them each as much protection as possible. It wasn’t like Merlin was exactly going to be moving a lot.

Cleaning and stitching finally finished Arthur sat back on his heels. Sweat had gathered on his brow and his muscles felt horribly tense from being sat in the same position. Arthur laid a hand on Merlin’s face. His cheeks already looked a lot less flushed but he still felt quite warm. Arthur took the rag from Merlin’s head and flipped it around, so the other cool side would now be against his forehead instead of the side that had warmed up from Merlin’s body heat. 

Arthur stood up and stretched before grabbing the bowl and starting towards the cave entrance. Merlin would be fine for now surely and Arthur needed to get some clean water for Merlin and himself to drink. He followed the same route as earlier, going faster now that he was sure of where he was going. When he got to the river he scooped up the water in the bowl and began to head back again, no dilly dallying this time.

On the walk back, the sun began to slowly dip beneath the sky and stars were slowly beginning to appear one by one like someone had turned on a light switch. By the time Arthur returned it was dark. His stomach rumbled but there was no chance of any hunting tonight so it would have to wait until the morning. 

Arthur sat back down next to Merlin. His breathing was no longer the pathetic, wheezing noises that had kept Arthur company all day but stronger and deeper breaths. It reassured Arthur that Merlin was slowly healing after all, that he wasn’t just making it up in his head of desperation. 

Arthur put his hand on the back of Merlin’s head and tilted it forwards, cradling it. He brought the bowl of water to Merlin’s lips and gently leant it forwards allowing some of the water to trickle through Merlin’s closed mouth. It was important that Merlin keep hydrated, especially since it was probably days since he’d actually drunk anything at all. Merlin swallowed out of reflex but chocked a little, only settling down when Arthur patted his back to clear his airways. 

With a tenderness Arthur wasn’t even aware that he possessed, he lowered Merlin’s head back to stone ground. Arthur took a sip of the water and tended the fire before crawling over to his side of the fire and lying down. He was utterly exhausted from all the walking he had done, not to mention the stress of the day had taken his toll on him.

As he closed his eyes, he hoped when they opened again, they wouldn’t be met by a still Merlin, who had died during the night. He had to get better. He was his only chance.

 

*****

 

A cough woke Arthur from his dream. He couldn’t remember what it was about, the memory fading fast from his mind as he became more alert but he thought it involved Grounder’s in some way. He couldn’t remember if it had been a good or bad dream.

He turned to where the cough had come from.

Merlin was sat up, pale and looking disturbingly frail for a warrior. His hair was damp and matted to his face from sweat and the rag and the make shift bandages had slipped off his chest to reveal pink wounds that would eventually scar, but he was awake and sitting up by himself.

“Merlin?”

Merlin coughed again, the noise being ripped from his throat making him wince with each movement. Arthur scrambled up and got the bowl of water and began the actions to repeat the same movement as the night before, before seeing Merlin watching him and aborting the action and simply handing the bowl to him instead.

Merlin silently sipped the water before putting down the bowl and clearing his throat. His gold eyes then turned back to Arthur and pinned him with an unmoveable stare. Arthur didn’t really understand why Merlin was looking at him like that but it made him incredibly uncomfortable, even more so than whenever Gwen glared at him when he did something she didn’t approve of. 

Arthur pondered at what to say before realising the obvious question that he probably should have already asked Merlin by now. “How are you feeling?”

Merlin smiled bitterly. “Like I got tortured by a crazy witch.”

Arthur chuckled darkly in reply, “If Morgause is anything then she’s definitely crazy.”

“Why did you do it?”

“Why did I do what?” Arthur asked dumbly. He should have been used to getting whiplash from Merlin’s change of topic in conversations.

“I was unconscious what a day or two? You could have left at any point and tried to go home. Instead not only did you stay but you nursed me? Why did you do that?” 

Arthur paused, considering his words carefully. “You needed help. My people did this to you so it was the least I could do to fix it.”

For some bizarre reason as Arthur spoke Merlin’s smile grew. Arthur didn’t think he’d actually seen Merlin smile in a way that was anything but cynical. It was nice, strangely enough. It made his whole face come alive. It was beautiful in the way the forest was, quite apt considering Merlin’s origins. Arthur shook the thought. He was becoming too soppy and emotional. He put it down to stress and hunger.

“Besides, I probably would’ve gotten lost if I’d tried to get home myself. And if I’d left then I wouldn’t have been able to tell you, ‘I told you so’ about your wounds getting infected,” Arthur added obnoxiously, trying to get rid of that disarming smile. If anything, it grew bigger. “I should get a prize for saving your life. I don’t suppose you’d let me go?”

The smile somewhat dimmed at that, and Merlin shook his head softly.

“I don’t suppose it’s worth mentioning I have my sword and your knife on me right now, is there?”

Merlin chuckled and raised an eyebrow. “Despite being incapacitated, I think we both know I could still easily disarm you.”

Oh man, he had no idea how easily he could disarm Arthur. Just not in the way he was thinking. “Yeah, I thought just as much. It was still worth a try though. People love try-ers.”

“What people?”

“I have no idea.” Arthur answered truthfully, letting a huff of laugh out. Merlin looked confused like Arthur had lost his mind, before looking mildly amused and then switching back to a more serious expression. It was funny how quickly facial expressions changed.

Merlin spoke with a surprisingly sincerity that Arthur didn’t really know what to do with. No one had ever used that tone with him before. “Thank you Arthur.”

“It’s not really a big deal.” Arthur tried to brush off, but Merlin insisted.

“No really it is. You could have left me to die but you didn’t. I owe you my life, and my people owe you a debt.”

“So they’re not going to kill me?” 

Merlin’s expression returned back to ‘has Arthur lost his mind?’ and shook his head. “No, we were never going to kill you. Why would I take you all the way to my village just to kill you?”

Arthur shrugged. “I don’t know? Ritual sacrifice?”

Merlin looked at him carefully, like he was expecting Arthur to be joking. When he found no trace of it, he started to laugh before aborting it as he winded himself from the pain in his chest. Arthur felt his face flush from indignation and tried to back pedal. 

“Hey, it’s not like I know anything about your culture! And you’ve not exactly been forthcoming with information have you?”

“No, I suppose not.” Merlin agreed, mirth still dancing in his eyes. “I wasn’t sure if I could trust you yet.”

“But you do now?”

Merlin nodded. Arthur wondered how long he had been referring to Merlin as ‘Merlin’ and not ‘Grounder’ in his head for. “You’ve shown loyalty and care for things out with your own people. Yes, I trust you. With my life even, now that you’ve proved you can take care of it.”

Arthur didn’t know what to say. It all seemed a bit too much – the fond smile, the declarations of trust and gratitude. No one had ever really been like that towards him, not even his Father. So he did what he usually did in those sorts of situations: switch the topic and hope they get the hint.

“So if you’re not going to kill me, then why are you taking me back to your village?”

Luckily Merlin recognised the subject change for what it was, or perhaps he was just so used from hopping from topic to topic that he hadn’t even noticed Arthur’s lack of response. “The Sky People, you are here to stay, are you not?”

Arthur nodded. He was torn between telling Merlin openly of their plans and keeping silent. Just because Merlin trusted him, didn’t mean Arthur necessarily trusted Merlin. He was still getting over the whole kidnapping thing.

“Good. It’s quite a long story to why I took you but before I explain, I think you need to know a bit more context.”

Arthur nodded again and settled back to listen. Merlin sat up more and crossed his legs, concentrating as he spoke. 

“There are twelve clans living in this outstretch of land. I am from the Forest clan. For many years these clans battled each other, killing each other’s people and trying to become the most powerful and fiercest clan of them all. This cycle of blood and hatred continued until someone decided to put an end to it. They saw that it would be more beneficial for the twelve clans to work together, to share each other’s resources and knowledge. They saw beyond the bloodshed that had claimed so many and saw something better.”

“The Commander you spoke about?” Arthur interjected.

“Yes,” Merlin agreed. “The Commander. He united the clans together, leaving behind the days of violence and killing and beginning a new era of peace. Until your people came that is.”

“My people?” Arthur questioned. “We haven’t done anything.”

“No, not yet.” Merlin replied. “Only because Morgause doesn’t have full power of your camp yet.”

“I fail to see where you’re going with this.”

“Each clan has a leader Arthur,” Merlin explained, “A leader that takes care and runs their village but each leader works under the Commander. That is how the peace has been kept. This peace is now being threatened by your people. They don’t know the rules, how things are run here. Your people are liabilities who appear to be preparing for a war.”

“They feel threatened!” Arthur objected, “You tried to kill us.”

“You trespassed onto our land.” Merlin dismissed. 

“Are you joking?”

“Does it look like I am?”

Arthur let out a frustrated noise before shaking his head to himself in exasperation. “Ok then. I see what you mean, but you didn’t need to attack. It’s just provoked a situation that wasn’t even there before. We thought we were alone.”

“Exactly. Your people are uneducated on life here.” 

Now Arthur was feeling truly annoyed. They were just going around in circles. “How are we supposed to play the game then, if we don’t know the rules?”

“And that’s why you are here.” Merlin conceded.

“Me?”

“Yes. Each clan _must_ have a leader. I have taken you so that you can discuss terms of peace with the Commander for your people.”

“Me?” Arthur repeated. “I’m not our leader, Morgause is.”

Merlin shrugged indifferently, as if the whole thing was inconsequential to him. “Morgause, to put it nicely, is insane. She will begin a war that she cannot win and your people will die because of it. You have shown courage, strength, a willingness to learn and mercy Arthur. Fine qualities for a leader to have. Your people do respect you, it was clear to me from that boy who tried to stop me escaping. And if it came down to it, they would follow you as a leader since they know you have their best interests at heart.”

“I can’t do that Merlin. I can’t hold the lives of everyone there in my hands. That’s too much responsibility. What happens if I get it wrong? All my friends will die?”

Merlin’s face softened. “For what it is worth Arthur, I don’t believe you’ll get it wrong. Besides, our Commander isn’t as scary as he sounds.”

“Let’s hope so,” Arthur replied, “It’s not like I exactly have a choice in the matter do I?” Arthur sighed and rubbed his face, as if that would erase the whole conversation from his memory. That weight he’d already had on his shoulders increased by a tenfold. He sighed and dropped his hands. “How long do you think it’ll be then until we can get to your camp?”

“It isn’t too far from here but I’m not quite up to walking yet. If we set off in the late afternoon we should reach there just as night is falling. Is that alright with you?”

“The sooner, the better I guess.” Arthur confirmed. “Wouldn’t want you to make yourself will again though.”

“It’s settled then.” Merlin decided, chin jutted up and chest puffed out. Arthur wasn’t entirely sure Merlin was even aware of his own body language but it made Arthur smile a little anyway. Merlin was looking a little bit more like his old self again.

Arthur stood up and picked up his sword that lay near his feet. “In that case, I’ll go get us something to eat before we head off. It’s been over a day since either of us both last ate anything.”

Merlin nodded, before lying down again and closing his eyes, presumably to get more sleep so he was ready for the walk later. He looked a lot more peaceful now that his pain was more manageable. His features were no longer creased up in agony but smoothed out into a more relaxed expression. 

Arthur left the cave, shielding his eyes from the sunlight of the new day and began to follow the path that was becoming more and more familiar to him, planning on what he was going to try to catch.

 

*****

 

Merlin and Arthur had set out from the cave after sharing a rabbit that Arthur had managed to catch on his own. To start off with, Merlin had tried to walk on his own but after less than twenty minutes he was struggling to keep himself upright, still weak and in pain, just to proud to say anything.

Arthur ended up putting Merlin’s arm around his shoulder to give him support as they walked. Merlin’s side was pressed against Arthur’s and sometimes as they walked Arthur could feel Merlin’s pulse beating steadily next to his own.

As they walked, the light of the sun faded into the darkness of night and the stars appeared. They didn’t speak much as they walked, it was too much of a strain on Merlin but he did speak when he noticed Arthur watching the stars as they walked.

“Do you miss them?”

“The stars?” Arthur replied. Merlin nodded. “We never really saw them up close. But I suppose they’re even further away down here. It’s so weird to see them from here like that, the constellations laid out for you see easily to see. I guess I do miss the stars a bit, but we never belonged there. We are where we belong now. Earth is our home.”

Merlin nodded again silently, waiting for Arthur to go on. And he did, desperately filling the silence with words, feeling more confident in the cover of night.

“Most of my people are still up there. Suspended in space on the Ark. They don’t even know that we’re still alive. We lost communication when we landed. My Dad’s up there, just waiting. I wonder sometimes if cares if I’m alive or just if the mission is successful.”

“He’ll be proud when he comes down, to see what his son has managed to achieve. Anyone would be proud.”

Arthur snorted. “My father isn’t just anyone. And I have to achieve it first before he can be proud. No pressure on me or anything.”

“The stars will guide you correctly.”

“Oh will they now?” Arthur smiled. “I’m going to have to relearn the constellations again I think.”

“I could teach if you want.” Merlin offered.

The offer threw Arthur. “I’d.. like that. I think.”

Merlin smiled at him, “It’s all about having a different perspective.”

Arthur wasn’t sure what to say to that. He wasn’t even sure if Merlin was still talking about the stars, so he nodded at the cryptic statement and they walked on wards silently until Merlin finally spoke again.

“We’re here.”

Arthur looked around. “This is it?” He sounded unimpressed. He couldn’t really see much, but there didn’t look to be much to see anyway.

“This is the entrance.” Merlin replied.

Arthur was about to reply but cut himself off at the noise of something. The only warning he got was the creaking of a bow string being pulled back before they were surrounded by Grounders with large weapons pointing at them, shouting in a language Arthur didn’t understand.

That was just about summed up the welcome he had been expecting. Great.

**Author's Note:**

> Don't worry this is still a w.i.p - it'll be updated soon, I promise.
> 
> This has been a long journey and I'd like to thank you all for coming along on the ride with me. I've enjoyed every moment of it (except when I had writer's block) and I'm sad it's all over. However feel free to leave kudos and comments, as feedback is always appreciated and motivates me to write more! Come and find me on Tumblr at **[Owlwithafringe](http://owlwithafringe.tumblr.com/)** to see updates on fics or to leave me a prompt.


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